Sunday, May 31, 2009

2 new friends have joined my blog! Please welcome Tracey Lipman (Tracey, I can't get to your blog to link you right now, but I will) and Teresa the MiniMadWoman! I will add more info about these ladies as soon as I can!

Ah how lovely, we are into our third straight day of sunshine! I am a happy girl! Yesterday, we took the kiddos to the park, I spent much of the afternoon taking pictures. I am considering adding them to my etsy website for sale...these are some of them...any one have an opinion? I am looking for constructive criticism and suggestions. I have a rather basic mid-grade camera. Nothing super fancy, although I have both Macro and Super Macro settings. I think I enjoyed shooting the dragonflies the most...the blue one pictured here 'posed' for me through 6 or 7 shots. It was very neat seeing the different color patterns and sizes as I photographed them. Granted I set myself up to nearly get beaned in the head by wayward golf balls, but thankfully hubby warned me I was moving into his range. :-)This picture I love...not sure what it is about it, but it really speaks to me. It's a wonderful expression of the will to hold on. Strength, beauty, tenacity...hmmm sounds like the very description of WOMAN.I took several shots up through the canopy of trees. I love the startburst, or I guess technially sunburst effect. I hope you will enjoy these pics as much as I do. Again I would love to hear any and all comments on my pics.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Oh happy day, it's gorgeously sunny today...at this point all other plans are on hold as the sun is shining and we are taking the kiddos to the park. We'll spend the day shooting golfballs in the field, playing on the playground equipment and just generally enjoying a lovely day!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Today was a wonderful day. I spent much of the day with my hair up in rollers. Donnie and I had a wonderful time at the Ball. Here is a pic before we left. My feet are tired and I am off to soak in a nice hot tub. It was lovely really.Tomorrow I am planning on doing some cleaning and rearranging...hopefully I cam get my craft area set up :-) If not at least I plan on doing some sculpting.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Wow I now have 50 Followers! Although I prefer the term Friends! Susan of Susan's Mini Talk joined most recently. Susan is a fantastic miniaturist...some of her latest pieces include, a barbell set, shampoo bottle, and several outfits for a ladies shop she is making! (Susan if I can link back to your blog please let me know! :-) )

Now that my dress drama is done, I am eager to get back to sculpting this weekend. I still have some jewelry to make for myself and possibly a friend. But oooh my clay is calling me...I can't wait to get my hands back to work!

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Ok so this morning started out horribly last night...I know sounds confusing but hey, if you read my Troubling Tuesday post earlier this morning you know what I'm talking about! LOL So any ways, I headed out this morning to go on what I thought was going to be a terrible adventure. The first shop I stopped at had a pretty full length black gown. It was within my price range, but not to showy. I was hoping for something with just a bit more uuuumph to it. So asked them to hold it for me. (oh crap gotta call and let them know to put it back into stock! eeek)Went from there to the Mall. Started out at Macy's...nothin', zip, zilch, zero...that is unless I could shave off about 200 pounds! LOL So on to Dillard's. I quickly found 4 dresses within my size and price range, that DIDN'T look like Mother-of-the-Bride outfits. (not that those are bad, but I'm only 32, and I'm chunky but would still like to look sexy!)The picture here is the 1st one I tried on, and it was taken with my cell phone so it does not do it any justice at all!!! It fit, and fit good too. So I sent a pic to my hubby at work...and this was his reply "WOW!!!!!!" So just to give the others their fair shake I tried them too...none of them fit as well as this one. So for just $150 I snapped it up right quick! I have silver pumps, found a cute little silver wristlet, and even snuck in a mani & pedi too! Now I just need to decide how I'm gonna wear my hair and make some jewelry and I'm all set!So I just wanted to tell everyone and anyone who'd been thinking about me while I was shopping...THANK YOU!!!!!

Hey guess what...Today didn't turn out so bad! (more details to come!)So without further ado....please meet Sandy the talented Artist behind Cape Cod Consignments on etsy. Sandy is a wonderful crocheter...(hmmm Sandy, is that the right term! :-D) And not only does she make some of the cutest items ever, she even sells the patterns so you can create your own adorable items!

1. What brought you into your chosen craft or art?I was sick in bed and my sister came home from home ec and she taught me what she had learned in school. I immediately fell in love with the whole process and that was over 35 years ago...it just felt right in my hands.

2. Do you have a favorite piece that you have created?Everytime I create a new piece, then that one is my favorite, until the next one comes along.

3. What would you tell someone who would like to venture into creating? I have always said, go with your passion...if you love animals then create something with animals in mind...don't try to do something that someone else is doing, but because you admire their creations...do what you love the most.Creating is one of the most uplifting things that we can do.

Well said Sandy! I hope you will take some time to go visit Sandy over in Etsy.

Sorry folks I know normally I do my Artist of the Week Feature today, but due to...well my own procrastination...I will do it tomorrow. So please be sure to check back tomorrow for my Awesome Artist of the Week!!!I would also like to say Hi to my newest friend...Kat the Hat Lady. She is a miniaturist who makes the most adorable hats and pretties to go with them. (Kat if I may link to your blog, please let me know! :-) )As for my procrastination...well I waited until yesterday to make my gown for the Ball on Friday night...and I would like to just cry!!!! It looks horrible!!! One that gorgeous blue color, well what looked gorgeous on the bolt...looks like hospital scrubs/ gown horrible blue! Ugh! Add to that, the cut of the gown is jsut awful! All in all it was a horrible flop! Thank goodness we have the extra money, hopefully, please somebody say a prayer, or whatever y'all believe...that I can find a dress to fit and look good. Oh and to top it all off I bought WAY too much fabric too...I've got like 5 YARDS leftover!!!! Whaaaaaaaa.....Ok I am over my pity party, been looking online at some of the stores in the area, and have found several promising dresses. Hopefully someone will have something in my size in stock! :-) Wish me luck.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

More rain today...I think it's been almost 2 weeks since we had a day that wasn't overcast or rainy! I could so use some sun!!! Hopefully tomorrow it'll be nice and sunny...BBQ's are so much more fun in the sun! And I'm wanting to let the boys roast marshmallows and make smores too...gotta have dry weather for that! I am planning Steaks, baked potatos and corn on the cob. (all of which I would LIKE to grill) I hope the weather co-operates.I finally got the pieces to my dress cut out. I just love the fabric, but an a little annoyed too. When my sister and I went shopping for fabric we found this gorgeous periwinkle/lilac color...I estimated i would need about 7 1/2 yards to make the tunic full length. Well there was exactly 7 1/2 on the bolt...I was really concerned that if I messed up I would be screwed as that was ALL that was there. So I decided to go with my second choice the lovely pale blue. Well wouldn't you know, I laid out the pattern, cut out the pieces and well I have like 4 yards left over!!! GRRRR...I so could have bought the periwinkle. :-( Oh well...lesson learned...measure first to see how much fabric you need. So now I have like 4 yards of shimmery pale blue satin...I am seeing LOADS of pale blue dragons! LOL I will probably use some of it to make dollhouse bedding....ooh, my friends daughter has am American Girl doll...wonder if she has a bed, and might need bedding! :-D Ok so it's not all bad, I will make use of the rest of the fabric...eventually! LOLThe pics are of the folded stack of pieces ready to be sewn tomorrow and a close up of the wonderful blue color.

Today I made French Onion soup and fresh bread today. Now I have never been a fan of onions, and wouldn't have seen myself making Onion Soup 8 months ago, but hubby and I went on vacation back in October. We had lunch in this adorable little bistro, they were out of the other soup of the day, so i ended up with a bowl of french onion soup. The waitress was wonderful and tried to get as few of the onions as possible. She apologised beacuse there were still some in the bowl... I assured her it was not a problem. Well OMG...the soup was delicious, even with the onions. They literally melted in my mouth, and the flavor was heavenly. So I asked the waitress about it. She said the soup simmers all morning long until it's just right. So needless to say I now make it every couple of months. I start it early in the morning and jsut let it simmer away all day long, slowly adding small amounts of stock until it's perfect, right around dinner time! :-)

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Hmmm didn't really do much of anything today...well that's not really true...continuing with the laundry adventure...never-ending adventure with 5 people in the house. (my sister makes 6 but she's been doing her own.) So loads of laundry...hahaha no pun intended...No dress making today either...thank goodness this is a relatively easy dress. Doubt I'll get to it tonight either, UFC is on tonight. But then again it's not on until 10 so if I turn of the laptop, um NOW...I might get the pieces cut out by then. Hmm anyone think I can do that...yeah me neither. Oh well. In my spare time I have been sketching ideas out for the mini Quilt Shop/Sewing Class Room I want to make for my mom. She will turn 60 this December so I am thinking this will be a fantastic combined birthday/Christmas gift. I plan on 'tileing' the floors in quilt pattern designs. I have sketched out several pieces of furniture that I want to make as well...so hopefully over the next few months you'll be seeing that come into being as well as my other clay projects.Hmm still debating on turning off the comp...so I'll leave you with another pic from Disney...this one of Kermit the frog...BTW I had no idea they were associated with Disney! LOL

Friday, May 22, 2009

Hmmm I'm pooped...my sister and I just got back from taking a 50 minute walk through neighborhood. We took a set of stairs from one street to the next one that I swear wasn't gonna end...lots of hills too...good workout. We are planning on walking every night if the weather permits. Today everyone but my sister was home today, kiddos had no school and hubby was off from work. Our oldest is out for the year and the middle son has Tuesday & Wednesday yet. Then off until late July for the oldest and early August for the younger 2...Yep my baby will start Pre-K this year. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I am excited for him, cause he has been wanting to go to school for a couple years now, and wasn't able to go last year due to an October birthday. But at the same time it's kind of empty nest syndrome...I don't plan on going back to work this year as he will only be in a half day, but I will be able to volunteer more for both him and the middle one. I know it'll be fine but I can't help being kinda melancholy about it.No dress work today...slept late, went grocery shopping, spent over and hour on the phone placing a $3000 FireMountain bead order, (no, not all mine, gotta love group buys!)made homemade pizza, and then like I said took a long walk. Tomorrow is all about dress making!!! So hopefully I will have some pics of well something tomorrow! Another of my pics from Disney...I think this was in Epcot at the agricultral area...wouldn't these be cool to replicate in clay!!! Enjoy!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Today's pic is a topiary Tink from Disney...I had so much fun taking pics while we were there...I would have loved to have spent the day taking pics, but it was my idea to go, so I didn't stop as often as I would have liked! LOLI haven't been able to get started on my dress yet...was gonna do it yesterday, but after a call from one of my oldest son's teacher I was in a rather crabby mood. let's jsut say my son decided to 'protest' a perceive injustice by NOT doing an assigned project. *sigh* While I applaud his idealology...this was not the correct way to go about it. So anyways he was up until Midnight at the table doing the make-up project!And today is being spent back and forth at the middle sons school...he recieve'd a Master Mathmatician Award form his 2nd grade teacher, then this afternoon he is in the Gifted Class Musical...so hopefully I can start cutting out my fabric for my dress tonight.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

And have discovered that I need to add an inch of so to the back pieces...urgh big boobs stink! LOL I tried the top on after stitching the front and back together, and I can get it on, if I let's say manually adjust the girls. But unfortunatley this dress will have sleeves and once the sleeves go on that won't be a viable option...sooo I am going to add and inch or 2 for comfort, plus add a zipper as well...thank goodness I had the fore-thought to buy one when I bought the fabric. This also means I will have to adjust the way I sew it together, but thank goodness I decided to make the mock-up before cutting the dress fabric!!! So now I will go ahead and add the sleeves to the mock-up and will have to pick up a zipper for it later on. Cause wouldn't you know I don't have one to match that fabric! LOL But atleast I know what I need to do to make it fit correctly!!!

Ok well I'm gonna take a little break before finishing my top.Oh and the pic...I took it on vacation...not sure what it is about it, but I just loved the way the fountain looked!

This week we get to meet the amazing Sally Golubosky of Kudzu's Whimzy!(her store) When many polymer clay artists think of dragons, Sally's fabulously detailed dragons(her blog) often come to mind! Sally is the amazing artist behind the dragons I have created. So it is with great pleasure that I feature Sally today! BTW Sally makes the most adorable teddy bears too! (as a matter of fact you can join in and learn how to make them through PolyClayPlay) 1. What brought you into your chosen craft or art?1. I was tired of working from other people's work. I was a porcelain doll maker for years and really didn't want to pour molds any more. I had a hard time calling it "my' artwork when I was painting someone else's sculpt.2. Do you have a favorite piece that you have created?2. I have three. Two of them are sold. I really loved Broch, little purple dragon with heart candy and Duncan who was green and had knot work on his body. The one I still have is Loki. 3. What would you tell someone who would like to venture into creating?3.Go for it! It is always good to try something new. The only advice is not to go buy every single thing that goes with that hobby before you know if you are going to like. Been there done that! Look for a group or guild for good advice and others who are learning the same thing. It is easier when you can bounce ideas about and share your work. I hope you will visit Sally, and maybe even take the time to try out one of her awesome tutorials available in her blog or on PolyClayPlay.Deborah

Monday, May 18, 2009

Ok the first picture is the fabric that I am using to make my mock up top with...I love the way the fabric looks, so hopefully I won't look like a circus performer in it! LOL All of my pieces are cut out for the mock up and I will hopefully get it completed tomorrow, so I can start on my gown on Wednesday,The next couple pics are of my biggest sellers from my craft fair 2 weekends ago. Christi Friesen style kitties, puppies and birdies...I had tons of these little cuties and all but these few sold!Hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into what I've been up to. Hopefully i will have more pics of the new shirt tomorrow. :-) Who knows maybe even one of me wearing it! :-D

So I've cleaned off my table of all my clay stuff...at least for a little while. I need to focus on the Military ball we have on the 29th. I am making my gown myself. I made one a couple years back in 4 days, and it turned out pretty darn good. So with 2 weeks I shouldn't have much trouble. This dress is a little more complicated as I am actually combining 2 patterns this time. I am taking a tunic-length stop and replacing the hip area with a full length skirt from another pattern. The pic at the right is the top I am using...I am going to make this top as it stands from another fabric to make sure it fits properly before I use my good fabric. So that is my goal for today...make my mock up.I found a gorgeous pale blue crepe satin that sparkles to make my dress from. I will take pics as I work.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Yikes I can't believe it's been several days since I blogged. After my craft show last weekend I thought I would get to start taking a break...well...I completely forgot all about all of the things I had to do for my husbands Company. So Monday was spent prepping for that evenings meeting, then shopping on Tuesday for a Lunch we served as a fundraiser on Thursday and Friday. Then yesterday was out fabric shopping for an evening gown I need to make in the next 2 weeks. Thankfully I found some gorgeous pale blue sparkly fabric, and an awesome pattern too. So over the next few days my blogging will most likely be about my dress-making adventures. I have made a formal gown before, so I have a little experience with it, and this time I have given myself a little more time than the last one too. LOLSo please bear with me over the next few days. Hope y'all have been having a great weekend. Talk to you soon.Oh and BTW the pic I posted, I took at Disney while on vacation. Hope y'all like it! :-)Deborah

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Today I wanted to welcome 4 new ladies to my blog! Daisy is a fabulous miniaturist who has not 1 but 4 awesome blogs! First,Second, Third, and Fourth. She is also a wonderful contributor to The Mini Food BlogSylvia is another amazing miniaturist! Next is Katy, she is a great polymer clay artist! And last but certainly not least is Ban, she didn't share her link, but hun if you'd like to just let me know and I'll add it in here! :-)Ladies, thanks so much for joining me here. I hope everyone else will stop by these fantastic artists blogs!Deborah

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Wheeeeee!!!....I've been tagged by the nut, Shanna from http://shannasclayart.blogspot.com. LOL!Thanks hun! :-) Be sure to visit her blog and check out her gorgeous work!!!

Tag works like this:

1. Name and link back to the person who tagged you. Done! ;-) See above!

2. List 6 (un) important things that make you happy. Un-important huh... -- Finishing a piece and having it turn out exactly as I saw it in my head or better! -- Seeing my children smile (with a teenage boy, getting smiles from him is tough) -- cuddling up next to my hubby -- envisioning my next project -- starting said next project -- keeping up with all my friends and discovering what they are all doing.Now to me NONE of these is unimportant really, to me if it makes me happy it's important! :-)

3. Tag six bloggers and let them know by leaving them a comment Off to make the hard choice of which wonderful friends to tag! :-)

This week I am showcasing Nichol of Mossy Creek Designs Nichol is not only an amazing polymer clay artist, she has a fabulous way with pencils and ink and colors as well. Many of her works can be seen throughout her blog.So without further ado, here is Nichol's 'interview'!

1. What brought you into your chosen craft or art?

i assume you are asking about polymer clay :) i've always been interested in art ... crammed every free moment i had in high school in the art room - went to college for illustration and have tried almost every craft out there including clay but i didn't focus on it until the spring/summer of 2003. my sister and i had been making beaded jewelery and selling our stuff at home parties but i could never find the right focal beads so ... i decided to make my own. my tastes have always favored things that are organic so i went weed picking and made my first 'fossil' beads.

2. Do you have a favorite piece that you have created?

yeah, i have a few that i can't part with. with the exception of the griffin/geode sculpture they have all been accidents though. we make batches of fossil beads at a time for our shows and every once in awhile one calls out and says 'don't sell me!' ... so i don't.

3. What would you tell someone who would like to venture into creating?

practice, practice, practice ... this holds with any form of art (drawing, writing, sculpting, photography, painting ... ) the more you do something, the more it becomes second nature. it also gives you the time you need to develop your style and discover what your strong and weak points are.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

I wanted to send a warm welcome out to Maggie...she has 2 great blogs Magpies Collectables and Bead Journal Project She does some amazing beaded embroidery...Maggie I hope that is the right term for it! I have tried it before and just don't have the patience to create that way...But please be sure to Check out Maggies' blogs to view her GORGEOUS work! Deborah

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Sorry this is late, but here is this weeks fantastic artist of the week!Meet Jenny of Jenny Clark Stamp ArtJenny is a fantastic card maker... I hope you will enjoy a little peek into her art and her life. :-) 1. What brought you into your chosen craft or art?I have always enjoyed working with paper and ink ever since I was a little girl. I started getting into stamping and scrapbooking in high school Art class and later in college Art classes where I could carve my own stamps and use different types of inks to create various forms of art. I went into the Air Force after graduating college and continued doing various paper crafts as a hobby and for stress relief. I had the opportunity to travel all over the world and saw different forms of stamping, papermaking, and other paper crafts. After getting married, having children, and going into the reserves part time, I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, started carving my own stamps, and making my own recycled paper to use in my crafts. I turned my hobby and love of papercrafts into a part time business. I really enjoy giving homemade cards and other gifts to friends and family.2. Do you have a favorite piece that you have created? My favorite pieces change on a weekly basis. My favorite cards to do are special orders where the customer gives me a color scheme, or a few pictures that they like, and I incorporate them into a one of a kind card. I especially love making wedding cards. Customers give me a copy of a wedding invitation and the color scheme of the wedding and they want me to create a special wedding card or bridal shower card that incorporated those elements. I also love creating Christmas cards to give out to friends and family. In a day and age where people tend to give the "photo card", I love to create an old fashioned Christmas Card.3. What would you tell someone who would like to venture into creating? My recommendation is to find something you love to do. I started as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator to support my own paper habit and it gave me the opportunity to meet other ladies that enjoyed being creative like me. I now enjoy all sorts of papercrafting including stamping, making handmade paper and scrapbooking. We all have different God given talents...we sometimes just need to discover what they are. I would find a craft that you enjoy and one that gives you a sense of peace and fullfillment that you can only get from being creative.

Monday, May 4, 2009

No claying yet today...I'm heading there as soon as I finish this post and reading my newest couple of emails. Tomorrow is Artist of the Week, so that'll start the day. Hopefully then I'll have new goodies to share tomorrow night.

First of all I would like to welcome Doreen to my blog. She is a fantastic miniaturist with not one but 2 blogs. Her Projects blog and her Miniatures blog both showcase her amazing work. I hope you will stop bye and visit her!Yesterday I started once again on my journey into claying. My goal this week is to get my stock built up for this weekends craft show. So I made a pair of adorable little mice, a pair of cf-style turtles, some red mini candles and matching soaps, oh and I added some of my faux turquoise to some great metal frames. All the pieces still need their final finishes on them...but I am very happy!Part of today will be spent getting my sister situated, then back to my clay table. Not sure what I'm gonna work on today, but by this evening I will hopefully have another collage full of new work! DeborahOh I almost forgot about the signature cane I made...well tried making. Grrr I was real careful about using only Premo! translucent to pack the cane, but made the mistake of using a silver MIX clay for the letters...it was either ALL Sculpey III or atleast had some in it...as when I reduced the cane the letters smooshed and got lost...so I will have to try that cane again...but I took a slice to show off what it SHOULD look like. :-)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

LOL...I decided to recount the 20 dollar bills this morning...I'm glad I did...I guess standing in the hot sun for 10 hours yesterday kinda scrambled my brain! LOL Somehow I went from counting the 20 dollar bills to counting by 20's! We actually made about $500 rather than the 7 I thought last night. BUT that is still an amazing amount so I am thoroughly pleased. This may put a damper in our bed-shopping plans (atleast for us, anyways) but that's ok.This just goes to show that when you have been standing in the hot sun for 10 hours...let someone else count! LOLSo now that my yard sale is complete, it's time to shift my focus to polymer clay...so starting this evening I will be back at my kitchen table claying away. so hopefully from tonight until next Friday I will have loads of new clay items to share with y'all!Have a wonderful Sunday y'all! Until tomorrow (or later tonight!)Deborah

Saturday, May 2, 2009

To everyone who sent me good wishes for my yard sale today...Thank you!!! I had a fantastic day! I sold nearly 1/2 of all I had made almost $700 dollars!!!! Talk about being stunned! I had no idea I had made that much until I started counting my cash box! Tomorrow, hubby and I are going to go looking for a new bed for us...if we can find one within our price range, we will pass our Full size on to our oldest son. If not, well he gets a new twin size bed. So it's bed shopping tomorrow.Now I am off to try and stay awake long enough to read through my blog list...then I think I'm calling it a night...10 hours in the sun and I am sore, tired and well sunburned. Why is it that I can remember to slather my kiddos I sunscreen but can never remember to put it on myself! LOLHope everyone has had a great Saturday, wishing you all a wonderful Sunday!Deborah

Friday, May 1, 2009

It's been a few busy days since I last blogged...I have been busily checking out everyone's posts but forgot to make one of my own! LOLSo today I want to welcome and thank the new folks who joined my blog. Vicki of njdminiatures makes fabulous and funky minis. Visit her etsy store to check out her work, including some neat Harry Potter inspired pieces. Be sure to look for the Monster book. :-D Vicki also contributes (I believe! Vicki if I am wrong please let me know) to The Mini Food Blogspot. This blog features some of the most realistic miniature food I have ever seen!

Next is Tallulah-Belle of the aptly named Tallulah-Belle Originals She makes stunning miniature flowers, they are so life-like!

And last but certainly not least is Ana, while Ana's blog Tiny Delightsisn't in English, her pictures certainly speak for themselves. Ana is another amazing miniature food artist. She not only makes miniature foods, she sets up entire scenes. They truly must be seen to be believed. Also be sure to check out her etsy shop as well!

So be sure to visit these amazing artists and check out there awesome work!DeborahWell I'm off to visit my blog lists and then head to bed, gotta be up early tomorrow to get my yard sale going...wish me luck! :-)